UCLA Lands Second Defensive Transfer From Ohio State

UCLA fans probably could not have dreamt about how well the transfer portal has gone. The Bruins sit at No.25 in the 247sports Team Rankings, but were as high as No. 22 over the weekend.

Head coach Bob Chesney has the heat turned up to high, and that is not cooling down anytime soon. The Bruins have added another defensive player to their roster, and it's a double-up from the 2025 National Champions, Ohio State.

After the recent addition of defensive tackle Maxwell Roy, another Buckeye has come through the door in safety, Malik Hartford, according to Hayes Fawcett. It's another great addition for the defensive coordinator, Colin Hitschler, adding more experience to the roster.

Malik Hartford Adds Winning Experience to UCLA Defense

The former four-star recruit was the No.1 player out of Ohio, No. 5 safety, and the No. 69 overall player in the class. Over his three seasons, he has served as a backup at the safety position.

Hartford started two games as a free safety in is true freshman season, and was a backup over the past two seasons to Caleb Downs. That is nothing to be put off by, with Downs expected to be a top ten pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

This past season, he opted to take a redshirt after the first four games, preserving his two years of eligibility. At the back end of the season, he underwent shoulder surgery, giving him time to recover before the 2026 season. The Bruins will hope to get the two seasons from Hartford.

UCLA now has 38 incoming transfers, seven of those in the secondary. Cornerback and Safety were two positions that were depleted after the season due to transfers and players burning their eligibility. Hartford was the third safety, following Tao Johnson from Utah and Ta'Shawn James from Iowa State.

October 21, 2023, Pasadena, California, USA: USC wide receiver Michael Jackson III 9 falls to catch a touchdown pass under pressure from Utah cornerback Tao Johnson 15 during an NCAA, College League, USA college football game, Oct. 21, 2023 in Los Angeles. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The UCLA defense ranked at the bottom of many categories last season, and with the new players and DC Hitschler, expectations are high for 2026. James Madison allowed the fifth fewest yards per game in 2025 (275.8 ypg). Yes, they played most of their games against Group of 5 opponents, but they allowed only 264 offensive yards to Louisville.

We are still a long way from spring ball, but the excitement is high for the Bruins. That is something that has been missing for some time.

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